Closure



May 20, 1930 s. REID Y -1,759,244

'cLosURE Film1l Jan. 14, 1929 M l Inv*H 2 V inurl imlllu ilii l INVENTQR ATTORN EYS Patented May -20, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' JAllIES S. REID, OF GLEVELANI),l OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE EATON AXLE AND SPRING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO Application filed January 14, 1929. Serial No. 332,277.

This invention relates to improvements 'in bayonet-joint closures of the type provlded with opposed locking fingers for cooperative engagement with opposed cam portions of the device having the opening to be closed. Such closures are used, for example, with the radiators and the fuel tanks of automobiles, and in order to prevent the escape ofthe contents of said receptacles, sealing gasketsof cork or like material are interposedbetween the closures and the parts of the receptacles to which they are connected. These gaskets in many instances are maintainedin assembly with the closures by the locking members thereof,`and in order to remove such gaskets when they are Worn out (and gaskets of cork deteriorate more or less rapidly), the locking members, must be removed and this is usually a difficult task. v

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an improved closure of this type, having assembled therewith a sealing gasket' of cork o'r like material, with sald gasket maintained in assembly with the closure by the locking member thereof, simple yet effect-ive means being provided for permitting the ready removal of the locking mem- K ber to enable the old gasket to be easily and quickly replaced by a new one; and which closure is of extremely simple and inexpensive construction so that it can be made and sold at low cost. l

Y Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter. f

yIn the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the present improved. closure detachably connected to a tubular neck, the vievg through the. closure beingon the line 1 1, Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of said closure on the line 2-'2, Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of said closure, with parts broken away te show interior construct-ion; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the tubular neck shown in Fig. 1; andAFig. 5 is `a central vertical sectional View of said neck on the linel 5 5, Fig. 4.

' In the present embodiment of the invention, the device to which the closure is adapted to be connected is a tubular neck which may be an integral par-t of a receptacle, such as an automobile radiator or an automobile gasoline tank, or separate therefrom and suitably secured thereto around an opening thereof. The neck here illustrated isi a separate-one piece member and includes a cylindrical body portion^1 provided at its base with an outwardly extending annular ange 2 for welding orother suitable securement to the re- \ceptacle 3 around the opening 4 thereof. Said body portion is provided at its upper end, which is the'end to be closed, with an inwardly extending annular wall 5 which terminates in a depending flange 6. At two diametrically opposite points, parts of the wall 5 and the flange 6 are cut away, which divides the flange 6 into two portions and provides two passageways 7 which afford access for the closure locking fingers (to be later described) to the cam surfaces 8 on the bottom edges of the two flange portions 6 thus formed. Each lsuch cam surface is provided at its high end with a dwell 9 to receive a closure finger when the closure is com letely-or fully connected to the neck, and just beyond thesedwells, each flange portion 6 is provided with a depending stop projection 10 to limit'rotary movement of the closure locking fingers up along the cam surfaces 8, all as will be readily understood.

The presentimproved closure includes a.-

metal body member having a circular top portion 15 and a depending cylindrical skirt portion 16 slightly larger in diameter than that of the neck bodyportion 1 with which it is adapted for telescopic cooperation, as indicated in Fig. 1. Centrally arranged within said body member is an inverted cup-shaped supporting member with which is associated the locking memberof the closure. Said cupshaped 'member includes a cylindrical side portion 17 and a circular top portion 18 secured against the lower surface of the body member top portion 15 by Aany suitable means, such as by the tongues 19 which are struck up from portion 18 and imbedded in the metal of said body member topportion. 1 Arranged within said inverted cupshaped supporting member at the upper end thereof is asmetal ring 2Q having its upper edge in engagement with the top portion 18 of said member and its cylindrical side wall in engagement with the cylindrical side portion 17 thereof. Secured against the lower edge of this ring is the' locking member of the closure, which is here shown as a substantially flat, generally circular sheet metal disc 24 provided with two circumferential slots 25- extending inwardly from the outer edge of the disc in opposite directions and terminating beyond the disc center in apertures 26, said apertures being necessary or at least desirable for manufacturing purposes. Said slots provide two circumferentially extendingopposed locking lingers 27 of resilient character, the outer or free ends 28 of which are arched upwardly in cross section and project outwardly through opposed openings 30 in the cylindrical side por-- tion 17 of the inverted cup-shaped supporting member, said openings being oflappreciable height and being here shown as extending to the lower edge of said side portion.

The means here shown for securing the locking member against said ring is a sheet metal cross bar having reduced ends 36 sprung into opposed apertures 37 in the side portion 17 of the cup-shaped securing member. Said bar lies between the two locking fingers of the locking member in abutting relation-With the lower surface thereof,'as best shown in Fig. 2.

The closure is connected to the neck `in the usual manner of bayonet-'joint connections,

the projecting ends 28 of the closure locking l lingers being passed down through the neck passageways 7. The closure is then. turned in a clockwise direction which causes said linger ends to yieldingly ride up the neck cam surfaces 8 until they reach the dwells 9 thereof, further rotary movement ofv said tingers in this direction being prevented by the stop projections 10. As sald finger ends travel up` tsald cam surfaces, the free end portions of the closurelingers freely move downwardly with res ct to thecentral or body portion of the loc 'ng member,y as clearly indicated in Fig. 1the resiliency' 'of said f ipgers permit-the yclis'ure to be veryreasily connected to and A gasket is of annular form and. so closely or Y snugly surrounds the upper end of the cylin-l drical `side portion 17 of the closure supporting member that it is normally held in this position.- When the closure is applied to the neck, as in Fig. 1, said gasket is compressed between the closeure top portion 15 and the neck wall 5, and when the closure is removed from the neck, the gasket remains in assembly with the closure, for it cannotescape therefrom due to the fact that the closure locking finger ends 26 project outwardly beyond the inner edge of the gasket, as best indicated in Fi 2.

.lift will thus be seen that the locking member must be removed in order to enable the sealing gasket to be removed when necessary, and the life of these cork gaskets is comparatively short, because they harden and deteriorate rather quickly. v With the present improved construction, the locking member can be.easily removed, such removal being eiiected by simply inserting a screw driver or the like beneath the middle portion of the sheet metal cross bar 35 and pulling the ends 36 of said bar out ofthe slots y37 in the closure securing member. The removal of this cross bar permits the locking member to drop out of the closure securing member land the sealing gasket readily slid therefrom. lvhenv a new gasket has been put in position around the closure securing member and the locking member once again inserted therein with said locking member ends 28 projecting through they o'pcnings 30 thereof, the ends 36 of the cross bar are once again sprung into the slots 37 of said securing member, which maintains the gasket andthe locking member in proper assembled relation with the closure securing member, all as will be readily understood. l

As indicated in Fig. 2, the locking lingers 27 lie on opposite sides of said cross bar 35 so that said bar does not interferev with the movement of said linger ends 28 in openings 30 of the closure supporting member.

`What I claim is: y

1. A bayonet-joint closure for the ends gf tubular necks having opposed cam portions adjacent the ends to be closed, comprising alock-ing member provided with outwardly extending locking ngers for cooperative engagerent with the cam portions of usuch ag neck. a supporting-member for said locking member, a sealing gasket maintained in assembly with the closure bv the locking ingers of said locking member, and resilient means releasably secured to said supporting member for manitaining the locking member in assembly with said supportin member, the resiliency of said means per itting its ready release from said supporting member to enable the lockingmember to be disassembled from said supporting member and the sealing gasket freed from its assembly withthe closure.

'- 2. A bayonet-joint closure for the ends of tubular necks having opposed cam portions adjacentthe ends to be closed, comprising a locking member provided with outwardly',

extending locking` fingers for cooperative engagement'with the cam portions of such a. neck, a supporting member for said locking member provided with two opposed aper tures, a sealing gasket maintainedin assembly with the closure by the locking fin-- gers of "said locking inember, and resilient means releasably securedin the apertures of said supporting member for maintaining the locking member inl assembly with said supporting member, the resiliency of said means permitting its ready release from said supporting member to enable the locking member to be disassembled from said supporting member and the sealing gasket freed from its assembl with the closure.

3. A ayonet-joint closure for the ends of .tubular necks having opposed cam portions adjacent the ends to be closed, comprising a locking member provided with outwardly extending locking fingers4 for cooperative engagement with the'cam portions of such a neck, a supporting member for said locking member, a sealing gasket surrounding said supportin member and maintained in assembly with t ev closure by the locking lingers of said locking member, and resilient means releasably secured to said supporting member for maintaining the locking member in assembly with said supporting member, the resilienc of said means permitting its ready release romV said supporting member to enable the locking member to be disassembled from said supporting member and the seal,

y porting member to enable the locking meming gasketfreed from its assembly with the closure. "l v 4. A bayonet-joint closure for the ends of l tubular neCkshaVingAQpposed cailipgtions member, a sealing gasket maintained in assembly with the closure by the Vlocking fingers l of said locking member, and a resilient element'releasably secured to said supporting member for maintaining the locking membery y in assembly with said supporting member, the locking fingers of said locking member lying on opposite sides of said resilient element, the resiliency of said element permitting its ready release from said supporting member to enable the locking member to be/disassembled Jfrom said supporting member and the sealing gasket freed from its assembly with the closure.

- 6. A bayonet-joint closure for tubular necks having opposed cam portions adjacent the ends to be closed, comprising a locking member'having a body portion and opposed locking fingers extendiiigoutwardly. therefrom lfor cooperative engagement with the cam portions of such a neck, a tubular member within which the body portion of said locking member is arranged and provided with opposed' openings outwardly through which extend the locking fingers or'4 said locking 'member, a sealing asket surrounding said tubular member/an being prevented 4from escaping/therefrom by the outwardly' extending locking iigers of said locking member, and a resilient element ar-v ranged within-and releasably secured to said Athe ends of supporting member for maintaining the lock; i

adjacent the ends to -be closed, comprisingijer andthe sealing gasket freed from its aslockin member provided with outwardly exten mg locking fingers for cooperative engagementwith the cam. portions of such a neck, a member within which said locking' member is sup orted and provided with openingsthroug which. extend the locking ngers of said locking member and. also pro'- vided with@ a' pair of opposed apertures, a sealing gasket maintained in assembly with the closure by the locking fingers of said locking member, and a single resilient element re- 'leasably secured in the apertures of said supporting memberv for maintaining the locking member in assembly with said supporting member, the resiliency of said element permitting its ready releasefrom said sup' er t be disassembled from said supporting member land the' sealing gasket freed from its assembly with the-closure. i

5. A bayonet-joint closure-for the ends of tubular necks having opposed cam portions 'adjacent'the ends to be closed, comprising a locking, member provided with outwardlyv extending-lockingvfingers for cooperativeengagement with the cam portions of such a therefrom for cooperative engagement with' `the cani portions of such a neck, a tubular iio member within which the-body portion of said lockingmember is arranged and pro- `vided with opposed openings outwardly through which extendthe locking -fingers of said locking member, said fingers having vertical.' -movement in said openings, a sealing gasket surrounding saidI tubular member being prevented from escaping there rom between outwardly extending locking fingers vof said locking member, and a resilient elev ment arrangedwithin and releasably secured to said supporting member for maintaining the locking member in assembly with said supporting member, said locking-'fingers lying on oppositesides of said resilient ele,

ment so that the moyement ofvsaid fingers in l said tubular member vopenings is not inter'- fered with'by lsaid resilient element, the re` siliency of said element permitting its ready release from said supporting member to en `able the locking member to be disassembled from said supporting member and the seal- 5 ing gasket freed from its assembly with the closure.

8. A bayonet-joint closure for the ends of tubular necks having opposed cam portions adjacent the ends to be closed, comprising a locking member having a body portion and opposed locking fingers extending outwardly l therefrom for cooperative engagement with the cam portions of such a neck, a tubular member Within which the body portion of said locking member is arranged and provided with opposed openings outwardly through which extend the locking fingers of 'said locking member, and also provided with a pair of opposed apertures, a sealing gasket surrounding said tubular member being prevented from escaping therefrom by the outwardly extending locking fingers of 'said locking member, and a resilient element' arranged Within said supporting member re-` leasably secured in the apertures thereof for maintaining the locking member in assembly `wit. 'said supporting member, the resiliency of sai element permitting its ready release from said supporting member to enable the locking member to diend' assembled from said supporting member an thesealing gasket freed frntsgsspmbly with vthe AAgelxosure. \\4

QAbayonet'fointclosure for the ends tubular necks having opposed cam portions adjacent the ends to be closed, comprising a @kies mber provided with outwardly exsignature.

JAMES S. REID.

tending locking ngeilsiowgcperavedll gagementrwith the cam portions o s a 40 neck, a supporting member for said locking 'member provided with two.opposed aperturesa sealing gasket maintained in assem- /bly with the closure bythe loekinggfingersl of said locking member, and a resilient sheet metal member having its two vend portions releasably securedv in the apertures of said supporting member V/ffn/aintaining the llpcking/n'ievmber in assembly with said supporting member, the resiliency of said sheet metal member permitting its `ready release from said supporting member to enable the locking member to be disassembled from saidv supporting [member and the sealingfgasket freed from its assembly with the closure. y

10. A bayonet-joint closure for the ends of tubular necks having opposed cam portions adjacent the ends to be closed, comprising a -locking member provdedgwithmoutf.vardly extending locking fingers for cooperative en- 6Ogagement with the cam portions f such a neck, .a supporting member for said locking ,Nr.xtrnrmember provided with two opposed apertures, a scaling gasket maintained in assembly r`with the closure by the locking fingers 5 of said locking` member, and a resilient sheet 

